This is an interesting question, and one that is part of a personal quandry. I am a new paddler. I now have transportation for my kayak (thanks to all who offered suggestions), and get out pretty regularly. I belong to a local kayaking club that emphasises skills training and safety. I became interested in sea kayaking because it is "knee friendly" and I was anticipating surgery (surgery long over, knee works pretty well). I love kayaking. I think it's great. A lifetime of learning to be had. That having been said. I hate being part of a "trend". It won't keep me from doing something I enjoy and want to keep doing, but sure alters it a bit. I paddle for a number of reasons. Exercise is one of them, and the explosion of the sport won't make any difference there. Adventure is another, and the better I get, the more likely my "adventures" will keep me away from the average "trendy" boater. The one place I feel that the growing popularity of kayaking as a personal problem is when actually trying to "commune" with nature. Pretty difficult to enjoy the wildlife when a bunch of bozos are out there scaring the birds and seals right off the beach. This has become a hot issue here in Northern California, as I'm sure it has in other parts of the world. But, I am new to the sport, and feel that I have little room to complain. Personally, I will endevor to walk softly, and enjoy the places I go while leaving not mark that won't wash away on the next tide. As a final aside. Trends come and go. Activities become popular and after a short period the popularity diminishes. And then lots of good equipment goes on the market, hardly used at all! At 08:17 PM 9/21/99 EDT, Outfit3029_at_aol.com wrote: <Big Snip> >I >would ask a question of the Paddlewisers. How do you feel about the >explosion of this activity and does it detract from your reason for paddling? > Once again, free apologies, > Bruce D. McCutcheon > Whole Earth Outfitters *********************************************** * Matthew Blumenthal * * Fremont CA * * Potter, Guitar Player, General Computer Nut * * mattb_at_ix.netcom.com * * http://www.mattegrafix.com * * ICQ 12691259 * *********************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Sep 21 1999 - 19:26:08 PDT
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